Time for L.A. to embrace energy blessings of the sun: Opinion

Los Angeles enjoys more than 300 days of sunshine a year, enough to power most of the city’s homes, businesses, schools, congregations, factories and warehouses with solar energy. But right now, L.A. is not taking advantage of this immense blessing: the city gets less than 2 percent of its power from the sun.

As people of faith, we believe that we have an obligation to generate power in a way that does not put our health and our environment at risk. Unfortunately, most of L.A.’s electricity currently comes from harmful fossil fuels, which contribute to global warming, thereby exacerbating extreme weather such as wildfires and droughts. Fossil fuel plants consume huge amounts of fresh water. They spew air pollution that can lead to serious health problems, including asthma, which affects more than one million people in Los Angeles County.

We represent Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim and Unitarian Universalist congregations that believe in solar power as a way to put religious values like environmental stewardship and social justice into action. Some of these congregations — including First Unitarian in Koreatown, St. Andrew’s Lutheran in Mar Vista and the Vedanta Society in Hollywood — have already installed solar rooftop panels on their own buildings. Solar energy allows communities of faith to reduce air pollution, protect people’s health, fight climate change and create local jobs.

Rooftop solar power also has direct economic benefits. Metropolitan Community Church in the Valley, for instance, used to pay $350 a month for electricity. After installing 90 solar panels on the church roof, the bills have dropped to $60 or $70. The church pays lease payments on the panels, but even so, the congregation is able to save money each month by using solar power.

Thousands of L.A. homeowners, small businesses, factories, schools, and apartment complexes are also reaping the environmental and economic benefits of choosing solar. But with only a tiny fraction of L.A.’s power coming from the sun, our city still has a long way to go. While campaigning last spring, Mayor Eric Garcetti called for the city of Los Angeles to get at least 20 percent of its power from local solar by 2020. According to research from Environment California Research & Policy Center, achieving 20 percent solar power by 2020 would reduce global warming pollution by over 1 million tons per year, cut smog-forming pollution by about 730,000 tons per year, and create an estimated 32,000 jobs.

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Mayor Garcetti and the City Council can make this vision a reality by turning 20 percent solar by 2020 into an official city goal. They should also work with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to simplify permitting and billing procedures, expand incentive programs, and increase access to solar for nonprofit groups, multi-family housing units and low-income homeowners.

Los Angeles is at a pivotal juncture. The Department of Water and Power will need to replace more than 70 percent of its generating capacity over the next 15 years. DWP is making decisions right now that will affect our energy landscape for decades to come. The city faces a choice: new in-basin fossil fuel plants that will lock Angelenos into dirty power for decades, or an expanded commitment to renewable energy and rooftop solar power.

It’s time for our city to embrace the blessings of the sun.

Allis Druffel is with Southern California Interfaith Power and Light. Lee Wallach is with the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life of Southern California.

Rev. Rick Hoy of First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles, Pastor Caleb Crainer of St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church and Rev. Dr. Robert Shore-Goss of Metropolitan Community Church in the Valley also contributed.